I think I remember how to be nice. Whew. There, I said it...

Found this article on the Dutch Bros. Coffee Facebook page:

"Coffee may boost brain's ability to store long-term memories, study claims"

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jan/12/coffee-boost-brain-long-term-memories

Man, I wish I could've been a part of that study!

I really don't need a scientific explanation, justification, or excuse to validate my caffeine consumption. All I have to do is wait for x-amount-of-time to pass before an article comes out on a study of why coffee is bad for you. Usually, it's not that coffee/caffeine is necessarily bad or good for you. It comes down to moderation versus excessive.

What is "excessive"? I don't know. I have mornings where I just drink a few cups of coffee, and there are some days where I find myself making pot after pot. It just depends on the day. If I'm grumpy and stressed, watch out. If I'm positive and productive, you can sigh with relief. However, I've had days where I'm productive with just a few cups or a lot of cups...and can also be utterly unproductive with just a few cups or a lot of cups. Sooo...I think it has a lot to do with me and my attitude du jour, not the coffee. But it would be nice to prevent Alzheimer's or dementia (side benefits?), so maybe I'll gulp down a ginkgo biloba capsule with my morning joe. Couldn't hurt, right? Or maybe it could. I don't know...let's do a study!

I recently signed the Charter for Compassion. The church I direct music for, Trinity Epsicopal, is partnering with this global "Golden Rule"-type movement, and my Amador County news blog, NewsAmador.com's Faith & Values department, AmadorInterfaith.com, is joining Trinity in a local campaign launch of the Charter in Amador County on January 25th, CompassionateAmador.com.

The moment I read and subsequently signed the Charter, I felt it reflected everything that I ever felt about religion and spirituality since leaving Mormonism. I have to hand it to Karen Armstrong for the stance, strength and inspiration in putting together this amazing, global community project. My excitement and support has not subsided since signing it, but at the same time, it has often caused me to reflect upon who I am in this global community of over 104K (and counting). Is this just another peace movement that will rise and fall? Is it another "Occupy" this or that? Is it just another "for 50 cents a day..." corporate organization with motivational speakers who want to market love, make advertisers rich, sell books?

How is this any different?

For me, all it took was one phrase in the Charter that had me spellbound. The blood even drained from my face and chills went up my spine in reaction to what my eyes had just read, and my mind comprehended and internalized (basically, I think I went into some mild form of shock):

"We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the center of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate..."

Wow! Yep, they said it. illegitimate. Just one word that so many religions and belief systems needed to hear, after centuries upon centuries of inhumanity, pride, hypocrisy and violence. Have I been guilty of any of those things in my lifetime? Besides inhumanity and violence, I have to admit, yes, I have. In the name of religion or scripture? Yes, I have...and I'm embarrassed!

What does signing the Charter for Compassion mean to me, personally? Here are random thoughts I've had:

I've looked back at some of my Facebook posts, and there were a few times where I admit that I have not been nice. Doesn't even matter if it was or might have been true or completely right; I wasn't nice. I could use excuses that I was having a bad day, or that bad things were happening in my life at the time, or someone was being mean to me and I was just being defensive. But those are not excuses for saying or writing disparaging words, or thinking I was some pompous know-it-all asshole because I shared or forwarded something that I identified with, where someone else did the legwork to actually find out the facts. I do not and will not find excuses for my own poor behavior, period.

I've looked back upon my own spiritual journey, and remember the conditions of being a "member" of a church, a denomination, a board member, etc. These conditions sometimes defined what I could eat, drink, wear, write my articles for...but more importantly: who I hung out with. They required me to pretend for the sake of appearances, so as to not reflect badly upon a church or an organization. Most of those organizations were Christian (okay, all of those organizations were Christian). In my lifetime, I've hung out and have befriended those that a vast majority would  bill as "sinners". So, okay...I'm a sinner. But if those "Christians" would actually read their precious Bibles and see their hypocrisy, maybe I wouldn't be writing this. Those who cast the first stone...(John 8:7)

I've looked back and have remembered moments where I've just plain had a bad attitude. Like we all haven't had a bad attitude at some time in our lives? Does that make me a bad person? No. It makes me human. However, I'm still not quite sure I'm a "saved" human. Oh, gracious me. I was born/raised/baptized in the Mormon religion, also baptized as a born-again Christian, was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, am currently the Music Director of an Episcopal church, am very close with many Pagan communities...so I really don't know by whose standards I am legitimate these days. Does it matter? Apparently, it does, but...the thing that rings true is: Be nice.

I want to be nice. I want to be compassionate. But...it's difficult! I have a hard time with people who are drunk ass-kissers. I have problems with those who are on ego trips. I have problems with those who lie, cheat, steal, murder, plunder and think they're awesome because of it. I have problems with those who "friend" me on Facebook, not because they're necessarily my "friend" but because they want to be associated with me because they want something from me. I have a problem with those who say they're something they're not.

I have a problem with religion, not because it's a bad thing, but because it's a very touchy subject for me to deal with, based upon my own life. I don't know about you, but I am coming around to my own; I'm beginning to see that, because of the Charter for Compassion, that what I've been saying about "love" for many years might actually be sticking to the wall.

Compassion is going to be a great struggle for me, but I signed a Charter that has beautifully stated what I have always believed. So if you are one of those people in my life that I have to really, really struggle to find compassion for, all I can say is, consider yourself fortunate.

I'm going to try to find the "better person" in me this year. Cup in hand, no doubt...

Carol